Submarine Force Eradicates Standing and Breathing Failures as Part of Fitness Test in Campaign to Improve Retention

The standard is only the standard when convenient

The following is an update to an article that was released in July of 2022.

Millington, TN - Submarine sailors with a “standing and breathing” failure on their record will receive a clean slate that will allow them to remain in the silent service, under a new Navy policy unveiled last week. 

The shift is part of the Navy-wide campaign aimed at improving accessions, retention, and attrition so the submarine force can hit its end-strength goals for 2023, Rear Admiral Thomas Anderson of CNRC said. 

“It will reduce attrition if we do not separate sailors based on the inability to stand and breath on previous PRTs,” Anderson told SUBPAR. '“Furthermore, standing and breathing has NO proven correlation to ORSE results.”

The policy, which the Navy labeled a “one-time reset,” means all active duty submariners who want to remain in the submarine force and advance will now have zero PFA failures prior to 2023, if they failed the standing and breathing portion. This allows commanding officers to reinstate retention and advancement recommendations. 

“We expect this reset to balance challenges submariners had in preparing for and completing standing and breathing throughout the pandemic and also allow experienced and talented submariners to remain in the Navy,” said Anderson. “We think this PRT reset could allow up to 1,500 submariners to participate in their boat’s next ORSE who might otherwise be separated.”

During the next PFA cycle submariners will still be able to participate in an alternate cardio exercise known as “staying awake for 80 hours straight” if desired, as previously reported. 

This is a developing story and SUBPAR will continue to provide updates on the future of the standing and breathing portion of the PRT.

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